The Sacrament of Matrimony

The Church has a rich tradition on sacramental marriage and covenantal union. The Old Testament authors write of God making a covenant with the chosen people and promising them that they will never be forsaken. The New Testament authors write of Jesus as the new covenant and compare the relationship of Jesus with the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife. The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.

Matrimony, or Marriage, like Holy Orders, is a sacrament that consecrates for a particular mission in building up the Church. It is seen as a sign of the love between Christ and the Church, which is established between spouses in a permanent and exclusive bond, sealed by God. The Sacrament gives couples the grace they need to attain holiness in their married life and for responsible acceptance and upbringing of their children.

Booking a Wedding in our Parishes

Weddings are celebrated in our churches and chapels on every Saturday of the year except for the Saturday prior to Easter.

Bookings are taken up to eighteen months ahead of the ceremony. Couples are then requested to contact the parish three months prior for completing the paperwork and preparing the ceremony.

Wherever possible, couples are strongly encouraged to prepare for married life and not simply to prepare for a wedding day.